ISLAMABAD

YouTube is testing a new “Clear Screen” feature for Shorts that would allow users to hide on-screen buttons and interface elements for an uninterrupted viewing experience, according to media reports and app researchers.

The feature, currently under development, is designed to remove visible icons, captions and engagement buttons from Shorts videos, enabling viewers to watch content in a cleaner full-screen mode similar to rival platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Reports suggest users may be able to activate the feature through the Shorts viewer menu, although YouTube has not yet officially confirmed a public rollout timeline.

The development comes as competition intensifies among short-form video platforms seeking to improve user experience and maximise viewer engagement.

Industry analysts say the move reflects YouTube’s broader strategy to strengthen Shorts, which has rapidly become one of the platform’s fastest-growing content formats, generating billions of daily views globally.

The company has recently introduced several new controls for Shorts users, including a feature allowing viewers to limit or completely disable Shorts recommendations by setting viewing time limits to zero minutes through the app’s time management settings.

Online users have widely welcomed the latest changes, with many praising YouTube for offering greater control over content consumption and reducing interface clutter during video playback.

YouTube’s latest experiments underline the growing battle among digital platforms to refine short-video experiences while balancing user engagement, screen-time concerns and content discoverability.